Biographical Information on William Hans Nicholson:
The Rev. William H. Nicholson was born April 20, 1951 in Dillingham, Alaska, to John W. and Bessie Nicholson. He was baptized by The Very Reverend Arch Priest Basil Sifsof of Saint Seraphim Russian Orthodox Church in Dillingham. He was confirmed into the Moravian Church and declared his faith in Jesus Christ on April 6, 1968, under the guidance of missionary, The Rev. Wilton Schwanke of Dillingham Moravian Church.
On August 24, 1973 Brother Nicholson graduated from George Fox College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. On May 15, 1977 he graduated from Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with a Master of Divinity degree.
In January 1979 Brother William married Barbara C. Mojin of Bethel, Alaska. They have five children: Shawna, John W., Earl, Jerilyn, and Parsha.
Brother Nicholson was ordained a deacon in the Moravian Church on August 21, 1977 by The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edwin Kortz and shortly after began formal service in the Moravian Church at Bethel, Alaska. He was consecrated a Presbyter of the Moravian Church on March 11, 2001 by The Rt. Rev. Jacob Nelson.
During his years of service to the Moravian Church in Alaska, Brother Nicholson served the Moravian Church in Bethel twice and Dillingham for an extended time. He has served as Vice-President of the Alaska Province and a number of committees. He has almost 11 years service with the Alaska Army National Guard as an US. Army Chaplain. In this capacity his ecclesiastical endorsement was with the Moravian Church of America, Southern Province. He served an Idaho National Guard Field Artillery unit in the combat zone of Iraq in 2004-2005.
Currently he is functioning as a Co-Chair of the Bible Seminary & Theological Institute Board of Trustees. He now heads the Anchorage Moravian Church as its’ pastor. He will continue in this role while he functions as a bishop rendering additional service to the Moravian Church.
Additional Historical Notes:
The Alaska Moravian Church is America’s only ecclesiastical organization that governs and supports its God given purpose primarily through indigenous peoples.
Moravians, by faith, determine to serve mankind by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Roots of the Moravian Church spring from a spiritual movement started by followers of John Hus, and established as the Unitas Fratrum, (Unity of the Brethren) in the year 1457. For over 550 years the Unitas Fratrum is a continuing witness as the world’s oldest Protestant denomination, pre-dating the Reformation.
The indigenous Moravian work in Alaska began in 1884 at Bethel from missionary endeavors of Rev. John Kilbuck, a Delaware Indian who graduated from Moravian Theological Seminary and mastered the Yup’ik language. Today there are 23, mainly Yup’ik speaking, Moravian congregations in southwestern Alaska, a Moravian Fellowship in Napaskiak, Alaska, and a newly organized church in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Headquarters are located in Bethel, Alaska, along with a Bible Seminary & Theological Institute which operates yearly and trains ministers.
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The belief of the Church is effected and preserved through the testimony of Jesus Christ and through the work of the Holy Spirit. This testimony calls each individual personally, and leads him to recognition of sin and to the acceptance of the redemption achieved by Christ. In fellowship with Him the love of Christ becomes more and more the power of the new life, power which penetrates and shapes the entire person. As God’s Spirit so effects living belief in the hearts of individuals, He grants them the privilege to share in the fruits of Christ’s salvation and membership in His Body.
The Triune God as revealed in the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is the only source of our life and salvation; and this Scripture is the sole standard of the doctrine and faith of the Unitas Fratrum and therefore shapes our lives.
The Unitas Fratrum recognizes the Word of the Cross as the center of Holy Scripture and of all preaching of the Gospel and it sees its primary mission, and its reason for being, to consist in bearing witness to this joyful message. We ask our Lord or power never to stray from this. - from The Ground of the Unity, Revised 1957, 1988, 1999